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Panamanian: Tres Leches (Three Milks Cake)

Source of Recipe

Internet


Recipe Introduction

Maria Elena from Guatemala swears this is the original!

List of Ingredients

For the spongecake:
6 eggs, separated
2 cups sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the cream:
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup whipping cream

For the topping:
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3 cups water
1/4 cup of light corn syrup, such as Karo




Recipe

Make the spongecake: In a the bowl of your mixer place the egg whites. Beat at low speed first and then increase the speed to high until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, letting it dissolve well before adding more, and beat until firm. Add the egg yolks one by one, beating well after each addition. Now mix the flour with the baking powder and add to the mixture alternating with the milk. This operation has to be done quickly or the batter will loose the lightness in it. Finally, add the vanilla. Pour this batter in a large rectangular pyrex,greased and floured, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a 350°oven.

While this is baking, prepare the cream. Very simple: just mix everything together in a blender and pour over the still warm spongecake.

The frosting: Place the water, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and let boil. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the hot syrup in a string and continue beating at high speed until all the syrup has been added. Beat until no longer warm. To serve the Tres Leches: Once the soaked spongecake is at room temperature you have to let it cool in the refrigerator. Then you can spread the frosting and put back in the cold. This is supposed to be served very cold.

You can decorate this Cake with Silver dragées or you can also make some caramel and let some strings of it just casually over the frosting.